With the advent of computers targeted for small and medium sized company use, the market for "canned" programs to run these computers has become substantial. A common type of canned program is one that is magnetically recorded on a diskette that is adapted to be played on a floppy disk recorder that inputs the recorded program to the computer. These diskettes are sold as off-the-shelf items. A user simply determines which programs are most suitable for his needs and equipment, and purchases an appropriate diskette from a software sales outlet.
There are several factors that determine the manner in which these diskettes are distributed and stored. The diskettes, or at least the information contained on the diskettes, is valuable and expensive to purchase. The magnetic recording on the surface of the disk is highly sensitive and can be easily damaged. Thus a lot of attention is given to protecting the diskette during handling and storage. Secondly, the information on the recording is useable only with proper instruction provided by literature that accompanies the diskette. It is highly preferable that this literature be kept in the storage unit to be readily accessible to the user.
Heretofore the typical package and storage container for the diskette and literature consisted of two parts. The first part consisted of a slightly modified loose leaf ring binder equipped with a pocket on the inside of one cover for the diskette. The literature is mounted on the rings in the conventional manner. The second part consisted of a rigid shield or casing resembling an open ended box in which the ring binder is inserted. The back of the binder substantially closed the open end of the casing and the contents therein were substantially protected against crushing and contact from outside sources.
Not as popular but also available as a container for diskettes is a casing which resembles a rectangular box split lengthwise. The halves are hinged together like a book and when closed together form a protective enclosure. When opened, each half forms an open walled-in cavity one side of which is adapted to contain the diskette and the other the literature. Plastic strips or pockets hold the diskette and literature within their respective cavities. In the case of the two part container, the literature is organized and the diskette is both available with the container open and protected with the container closed. However, the two parts of the container are cumbersome and expensive. In the case of the split box, the literature is loose and thus easily separated from the container and is not readily available for reference without first removing it from the container.